AQUA-TNET 2008-2011

For more information on this project:

Visit: www.aquatnet.com

Or contact:

Marieke Reuver, Email: marieke@aquatt.ie or aquatnet@aquatt.ie Tel: +353 1 644 9008

Aqua-tnet is a multidisciplinary thematic network that unites the academic and vocational aspects of the Bologna reforms and the establishment of the European Higher Education Area in the field of aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic resources management. The network is funded under the European Commission Socrates Erasmus programme, from 2005-2008, and currently consists of 118 partners, representing universities, training organisations, associations and research performers working in the above mentioned areas. It is coordinated by Ghent University and serviced by AquaTT.

Aqua-tnet is growing in activity and relevance and with the approved Community co-funding  for the new phase (2008-2011) we now have an excellent opportunity to build upon the first phase and continue this long running network (1996-2008). The new programme (2008-11) will allow us to continue the important work of helping the sectors we cover contribute to the creation of a European Higher Education Area. The renewal will allow us to review priorities and activities and make any improvements necessary to help meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Background: 

The Bologna Declaration of June 1999 called for the establishment by 2010 of a coherent, compatible and competitive European Higher Education Area, attractive for European students and for students and scholars from other continents. The European Education Ministers identified six action lines in Bologna and added three more in Prague in May 2001:1.    Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees
2.    Adoption of a system essentially based on two cycles
3.    Establishment of a system of credits
4.    Promotion of mobility
5.    Promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance
6.    Promotion of the European dimension in higher education
7.    Lifelong learning
8.    Higher education institutions and students
9.    Promoting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area

The Bologna process addressed not only national governments, responsible for the education systems in their countries, but also the higher education sector, the individual universities, their associations and networks. In the summer of 2000, a group of universities has taken up the Bologna challenge collectively and designed a pilot project called "Tuning educational structures in Europe". The Tuning project addresses several of the Bologna action lines and notably the adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees, the adoption of a system based on two cycles and the establishment of a system of credits.

Objectives:

One of Aqua-tnet’s major aims is to become the Tuning reference for the aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic resources sector. To this end, there are six themed workpackages encapsulating the changes taking place in all three Bologna cycles:

1.    Masters and Masters of Science curriculum development
2.    PhD curriculum development and assessment
3.    Transparency in Teaching and Education
4.    Student mobility
5.    Innovation in Teaching (e-learning and ICT technologies and their role in joint degrees)
6.    Languages and Linguistic Diversity
Each workpackage receives input from three additional working groups, which represent horizontal issues and include industry, research and consumer needs.

Deliverables:

Partners:

Currently 118 European institutions, representing universities, research institutes, training organisations, associations and research performers, are partners in the Aqua-tnet network. Information about these institutions can be found on the AQUA-TNET website www.aquatnet.com, check >> “Network” >> “Institution Search”.

Download the Aqua-tnet project factsheet (PDF)